1) Swords is that of Knights, They of conflict. These people spill blood to defend the peoples. This aspect empowers a blade, providing enhancements of effect and elemental (fire blade, electroblade, iceblade, speed blade, sharp blade, type of foe seeking blade, )

2) Cups is that of Clerics, They of prayer. These people give the sacrament, The Blood of the Messanger. These are the ones who heal, link people and things, and defend the souls.

3) Staves is that of Wise Ones, They of wisdom. They bring wisdom from the Blood of the Earth (the staff symbolizing a tree, which draws, via roots, from the Earth. Theres is the power of image, illusion, and perception. They can also manipulate the green to an extent. Because they are bound to the Earth, they are at risk because of 4....

4) Pentacles is that of the DarkOnes and the DarkKnights. They of the Earth. Since there is sin upon the Earth, and the Evil Ones are in the Hells below it, the Planet is corrupted. This is the power of summoning and banishing, spirits from Below (and anywhere else for that matter). Dark Ones are those who worship the Opponent, the arch spirit that defied The One the Messanger brings the Good News about. Dark Knights are Knights dedicated to the destruction of Dark Ones, Spirits from Hell, and all Evil of the Opponent. They are often suspect, as they dabble in the Pentacle arts.

5) The Known World was once ruled by The Empire. It was brought the Good News by The Messanger. Magic had been purified and all the False Dieties lost their powers (i.e. no clerics but those associated with The One, whose Messanger came to speak to the world). The deceptive Old Gods who had plague Humankind with random sufferings, were locked to a deep hell. The Empire survived the change in the world and was looking to a new golden era. The Old Gods tried to have their revenge. From their deep hell, they release foul magics - their collective sin/ evil/ rebellion to the world - into the world. The corruption seeped into humankind. The Empire fell to ruin because of Dark One's infiltrating the Upper Ranks. In the Chaos that ensued as Barbarians sacked Imperial Cities, Ranked Ones on their Estates became basis for society.

the World has a more Roman flavor, as The Upper Ranked still follow the Roman-esk views of the world. (Roman styled equipment).

the world has Upper Rank/ Lower Rank/ and The Lows, (Senators/ Nobles, Freemen/Craftsmen, and Servants/Slaves)

The Upper Rank hold their power because they can channel magics. Now that the Messanger's News has purged the world, they have adapted to the new magics.

Terrain: The Known World is fairly simple. Take Europe, add a mirror flipped version (using the mediterranean sea as the line of reflection), tack on Asia without all those islands and India. This should give us a very mountanous landmass with a strong variety of terrain. The Known World (i.e. where the game is being held) is mostly the Western European section.

The two Italys are in constant warefare with each other.

Flora/Fauna: Sorry folks, the animals are not the stars of the show here. They are conventional, terrestrial animals. That is except the Monsters, which are normal creatures mutated to large or dangerous traited version of themsleves by Hell Springs. They are random and basically not part of the ecology. They are here to make people fear the woods, fear the unknown, and fear the Earth.

Like our Europe, the Empire depleted many species for their spectacular specticles, so all the really cool animals that had been in Europe are gone. There is no Africa to preserve them.

Resources: Fairly Standard. What you would expect, where you expect.

Races and Peoples: Humans. And Humans. There will be a couple of "peoples"Imperials: Tall, Long Necked, Dark Hair, sharp features. "Italy and Greek Peninsula"

Wangmen: Nordic Types in the Far North. Our PsudoVikings still worship their ancestors and hate magic, so the lack of dieties and magic has yet to really effect them.

Shallen: Celtic types in middle sections of both Northern and Southern Europe.

Shoja- Asians: Most of Humanity... all parts East. There are Shoja Barbarians and Shoja civilized.

Cultural Overview: We have an early medieval culture here. The Empire has just fallen, but its features are still in place.

Client and Patron: This relationship was the underpinning one of the Empire. A High Ranking patron gave you money, formal introductions (allowing business to take place), and access to his license (allowing you to be involved in business ventures which were beyond your class) The Client was supposed to work for their patron repaying them either in money or earned prestige or support them in other ways. While the general rule of Elites patronized and Freemen were clients, Certain High Ranking Elites would patronize lesser ones (Centuri for example).

In ShojiaShojia (the land of the Shoja) is one big land of civil war, barbarian hordes, and despair. Hellpits are taking hold here. There civilization has not taken well to the lack of dieties. They are in denial, as their entire civilzation sat on the crux of Divine Right. This change has undermined their regines. Those Messenger acolytes have been rebuffed. So tradition is destroying them and they refuse to adapt.

Calendar/Standards:

Institutions-Major: The Church: The Church or Church of the Messenger is the only religion still in existance. All the other temples and dieties have been absorbed into the Priesthood. It has been three generations now, so only in the oddest places do you see "left over" of divinity other than the Messenger.

Laws and Morals:

Family:

Social classes: Early Middle Ages, so we are not quite to a feudal systemElite Ranks(Elites had to have both Empowerment (ability to work power) and money to prove their worth. With enough skill and effort, almost anyone could work power).

Sentori (Noble): These are families of wealth, power, and prestige. Each family had country holdings (food production is always an underlying source of income) and business ventures. (Sentori could have arms and were expected to either serve in the Legions OR sponsor Centuri (to fight for them). Sentori ranked individuals were supposed to lead the people, either directly OR as part of the Senate - The Sentori council.

Judicun (Judges): Sentori who sit as judges in a variety of councils. They are stripped of much of their wealth and power, but are independent of many the Sentori rules and restrictions. Judicun is now a honorific. It is from this class (and from the various drudic types) that the wise ones are drawn. So there should be two roots of wise ones, Druids and Judges. These are respected, as if they were elites, but really they are now outside the conventional order.

Centuri (Knights): Those of lessor Sentori rank OR those of Craftiun Ranks sponsored by a Sentori to be "The Arm of the Imperium". These are your soldiers and Knights. Centuri could be officers in The Legions, but many were just in elite units. Classically, they were the ones with horses, either riding as cavalry or charioteers.

Free RanksCraftiun (Craftsmen): Those who follow a trade of some skill. Free to do many things in the Empire. They could become Centuri or even Sentori if they could amass enough wealth and support. They were limited on the amount of land they could own and could only practice businesses in their area of trade.

Magi: Those who can work power, but do not have enough wealth to be elite. They have been drawn into Wise One/ Judican, unless they have only enough power to be a craftsmen type.

Zostiun (Priests): This is the Priest Trade craft. At one time, it was a minor Elite Rank, but since the Messenger and his teachings, it is merely another craft.

Servori (Servant): These are the people "who serve" Sentori Patrons, but are not specific craftsmen per say. This could be an artist, or common soldiers, or a body guard, or a farmer working a Sentori's lands. It could even be a Valet.

Slave RanksSlaves branded as such until they generated enough wealth to either pay off their debt to society or an indvidual. In the later period of the Empire, the debt was passed to the family, so your children would continue to pay off your debt. These people did the grunt work for everyone. Even a Sentori could become a Slave for a time, if there was some debt or crime to pay off.

Political Power: Sentori have it because a) people still believe they have wealth and power and b) they can work magic of sorts.

Economics: Trade has stopped. The Manor system is just starting. Agrarian culture is here.

Religion: The Messenger:Built upon the rubble of the old religions, The Messenger's church is all there is.

Technology and Common Power: Military Weapons and Tactics Industrial/ Production Medical Agricultural Communication Math and Science: Construction Information: Other Knowledge

Magically enhanced knights. Now with magical items, but with their own personal power. The vow of the knightly code allows them access to the powers, for they who vow to protect and defend the people, to follow X, X, and follow most of the bushido/knightly code.

This Knights Code is descended from the Old Army Code, where a Warrior swore himself to Emperor and to defend the people. This is for a smaller scaled oath now. It is an old magical oath given to the Empire by the WiseOnes (Seekers).

Rats are the force of EVIL. Things of the Dark. Hellsprings can normally only occur in the dark.

Rather than Kings, or Dukes, Upper Ranks form Alliances with others. So a "kingdom" of West Mark should be The West Mark Alliance. This way no one is "in charge" and can be singularly corrupted. Thus many people must be corrupted.

Mages on this world are basically Druids in the Merlin Mold. Even under the False Gods, they supported the people and the High Ones. The Mages have a loose organiztion. The decades it takes you to be trained means you are totally indoctrinated to the organiztion. In fact, much of the training is just hurdles to make sure you are indoctrinated.

Peasants are building homes on stilts. High Ones are thinking about it.

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Adding Elements and filling out work list. I have done it a couple of times, but have not posted a "I've improved things" posting.

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